Monterey Aquarium has a new Great White

There are few things I find more fascintating and cooler than sharks. Make that a Great White Shark, and forget about! Issues of captivity vs. research aside – I feel that this actually promotes more understanding about these creatures and this captivity is not long-term – I am actually giddy with joy that the Monterey Bay Aquarium has a second Great White shark on exhibit!

Our million-gallon Outer Bay exhibit is once again home to a young white shark–a male, 5-foot, 8-inches long and weighing 104 pounds. We brought him to Monterey on Thursday, August 31, 14 days after our husbandry collectors caught the shark off Southern California. He had been held since August 17 in a 4-million-gallon ocean pen off Malibu and was observed feeding in the pen several times before he was brought to Monterey.

Don’t expect it to be there too long – they had their first Great White last year, a female, who broke the record for being the longest period in captivity. However, once she started eating everything in her tank (including turtles, fish, and other sharks) they realized it was time to free her. Seriously, I want to go diving with Great Whites – since that won’t be happening anytime soon I guess I’ll be making the trip to Monterey to peer into how the other half lives.